'Cats Set for Four Game Slate at SPC Elite Invite

NORTHWESTERN SOFTBALL: GAME INFORMATION
DATE	Opponent	TIME	LOCATION	Watch	Live Stats
Friday, Feb. 18	Texas Tech	9:30 a.m. CT	Clearwater, Fl.	ESPN+	Live Stats
Friday, Feb. 18	#3 UCLA	Noon CT	Clearwater, Fl.	ESPN+	Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 19	#15 Clemson	10 a.m. CT	Clearwater, Fl.	ACC Network	Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 20	#7 Oklahoma St.	8:30 a.m. CT	Clearwater, Fl.	ESPN+	Live Stats
Social: Twitter: @NUSBcats \| Instagram: @NUSBcats

EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern heads back to Florida for the SPC Elite Invite in Clearwater this weekend.

The 'Cats will take on Texas Tech and No. 3 UCLA on Friday at 9:30 a.m. and noon CT, No. 15 Clemson at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday, and No. 7 Oklahoma State at 8:30 a.m. CT on Sunday.

Northwestern sits at 4-1 after opening the season at the Northern Lights Invitational in Leesburg, Fl. last weekend, compiling a +21 run differential and wins over UConn, Akron, No. 24 Liberty, and Eastern Kentucky.

The last time the Wildcats faced three-consecutive top-15 opponents came in Feb. 2010 against #10 Georgia Tech, #13 Oklahoma, and #12 California.

Rachel Lewis was named Co-Big Ten Player of the Week after dominating the Northern Lights Invitational with a .462 average (6-for-13), .632 on-base percentage and .846 slugging percentage, highlighted by a grand slam against UConn. After leading the Big Ten with 30 stolen bases a season ago, Lewis went 5-for-5 on steals over the opening weekend and boasted a 6:0 walk to strikeout ratio.

Jordyn Rudd led the Wildcats with nine RBI in the five games, while posting a .385 average (5-for-13) and 1.298 OPS. Rudd knocked in 29 runs last season, second most on the team, and her nine RBI currently leads the Big Ten.

Danielle Williams struck out 26 batters in 16.1 innings over the opening weekend, adding to her program-record 9.29 strikeouts per seven innings (620 strikeouts in 467.1 career innings).

First-year Grace Nieto started all five games at second base for the 'Cats, batting .308 (4-for-13). She joins Rachel Lewis, Skyler Shellmyer, Nikki Cuchran, Maeve Nelson, Jordyn Rudd, and Angela Zedak as current 'Cats to start on opening day as first-years.

The 'Cats are 3-2 all-time against Texas Tech, winning their last matchup 3-2 on opening day of the 2012 season. The Wildcats also won their last game against UCLA on Feb. 28, 2018, 7-2.

This is the first ever meeting between Northwestern and Clemson, a team that went 44-6 last season en route to appearances in the ACC Championship and NCAA Tournament.

Northwestern and Oklahoma State will meet for the 16th time in the two programs' histories, with Northwestern falling 3-2 in nine innings in their last meeting at the 2016 NCAA Regional in Athens.

'Cats Set for Four Game Slate at SPC Elite Invite

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Players Mentioned

Nikki Cuchran

Rachel Lewis

Maeve Nelson

Grace Nieto

Jordyn Rudd

Skyler Shellmyer

Danielle Williams

Angela Zedak

Northwestern University Athletics